1 A nd the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 S on of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Son of man, put forth a riddle and speak a parable or allegory to the house of Israel;

3 a nd say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:

Say, Thus says the Lord God: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in feathers of various colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.

4 h e cropped off the topmost of the young twigs thereof, and carried it unto a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.

He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it into a land of trade; he set it in a city of merchants.

5 H e took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow-tree.

He took also of the seedlings of the land and planted it in fertile soil and a fruitful field; he placed it beside abundant waters and set it as a willow tree.

6 A nd it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots remained under and subject to him; so it became a vine and brought forth branches and shot forth leafy twigs.

7 T here was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it.

There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him, away from the beds of its planting, for him to water.

8 I t was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.

Though it was planted in good soil where water was plentiful for it to produce leaves and to bear fruit, it was transplanted, that it might become a splendid vine.

9 S ay thou, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? and not by a strong arm or much people can it be raised from the roots thereof.

Thus says the Lord God: Ask, Will it thrive? Will he not pluck up its roots and strip off its fruit so that all its fresh sprouting leaves will wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pluck it up by its roots.

10 Y ea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the beds where it grew.

Yes, behold, though transplanted, will it prosper? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the furrows and beds where it sprouted and grew.

11 M oreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

12 S ay now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and brought them to him to Babylon:

Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know and realize what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its princes and brought them with him to Babylon.

13 a nd he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;

And he took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the mighty and chief men of the land,

14 t hat the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

That the kingdom might become low and base and be unable to lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

15 B ut he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Will he prosper? Will he escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant with and yet escape?

16 A s I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.

As I live, says the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwells who made king, whose oath despised and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon shall die.

17 N either shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons.

Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war when the cast up mounds and build forts to destroy many lives.

18 F or he hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet hath done all these things; he shall not escape.

For despised the oath and broke the covenant and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things; he shall not escape.

19 T herefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, I will even bring it upon his own head.

Therefore thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely My oath that has despised and My covenant with him that he has broken, I will even bring down on his own head.

20 A nd I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

And I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment and punishment with him there for his trespass and treason that he has committed against Me.

21 A nd all his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken it.

And all his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind. And you shall know (understand and realize) that I the Lord have spoken it.

22 T hus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also take of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it upon a high and lofty mountain:

Thus says the Lord God: I Myself will take a twig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and will plant it upon a mountain high and exalted.

23 i n the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shade of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and be a noble cedar, and under it shall dwell all birds of every feather; in the shade of its branches they shall nestle and find rest.

24 A nd all the trees of the field shall know that I, Jehovah, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I, Jehovah, have spoken and have done it.

And all the trees of the field shall know (understand and realize) that I the Lord have brought low the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.